The average human is alive for nearly 80 years and of those years, they will spend 26 years sleeping and an additional 7 years trying to fall asleep. However, the amount of sleep we get each night varies across our lifetime, declining slowly as we age.
Although we have luxurious 500 thread count sheets, noise machines, and beds with adjustable comfort levels, studies show Americans struggle to get a good night’s sleep now more than our caveman ancestors did. While approximately 48% of Americans occasionally experience insomnia, 22% say they have insomnia nearly every night.
You might seem concerned when grandpa falls asleep in the middle of the day, but it’s perfectly normal and just one of the many ways your body changes as you get older. Although young people try to get away with the least amount of sleep possible, grandparents know the value of taking a short nap or going to bed early. Once you get to grandpa’s age, your body will start to experience differences in how well you sleep and how long you spend in bed.
Getting enough sleep is extremely important for optimal health, yet about ⅓ of adults claim they regularly experience symptoms of insomnia. Plus, 10% of those adults reported having insomnia so severe that it’s been diagnosed as a full-fledged disorder. Insomnia is generally defined as having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep that results in difficulty completing your daily activities.
A sugar craving can hit you like a ton of bricks. One moment you’re minding your own business and the next you’re rummaging through the pantry looking for a box of cookies. When someone frequently craves sweet treats they may say they have a “sweet tooth,” and although they don’t mean it literally, it suggests that wanting sweets is unavoidable for some people.
Some days you hit the pavement and everything just feels right. Your stride feels perfect and you feel light as a feather. You may even experience a deep state of euphoria known as a Runner’s High. Then there are days where every move you make feels like an extreme effort and your legs feel like bricks. When you have a goal in mind or simply enjoy physical exercise, these “bad” running days can be especially frustrating.
Recovering from the coronavirus is different for everyone. While some people feel back to their old selves fairly quickly, others can experience a wide range of ongoing health problems that may last weeks, months, or years. According to the CDC, 13.3% of people who have COVID will have lingering side effects for at least one month after they’ve been infected. For those who were hospitalized, more than 30% of people have reported experiencing side effects after 6 months.
Within the first year, 25% more people began experiencing anxiety and depression worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. Although life has begun going back to “normal,” many of us don’t feel “normal.” Residual stress from years spent worrying about becoming infected and how to navigate socializing safely is to be expected. Take a moment to recognize the traumatic event you experienced and then tread carefully to address what you need to move forward.
If you regularly spend your nights tossing and turning, you’re not alone. More than 60 million Americans have trouble sleeping. Poor sleep can negatively affect both your emotional and physical health. Those who don’t get enough good nights of sleep often experience memory, concentration, and mood problems and are at a higher risk for depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
While our mantra is “age is just a number,” sometimes the body needs a little extra help to keep up! It can be difficult to eat enough foods with magnesium at any age, but when we get older it becomes even more challenging. In fact, more than 40% of people in the US don't get the recommended daily amount of magnesium through food.
Magnesium directly influences brain development, memory, and learning because it regulates the body’s N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. When the body has healthy magnesium levels, NMDA receptors only stimulate nerve cells when necessary. However, if the body is deficient in magnesium, nerve cells can be over stimulated and wreak havoc on the brain.
Between busy work and social schedules, it can be difficult to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. While you might make a conscious effort to eat a balanced diet and exercise often, sleep can fall by the wayside — and it could actually derail your healthy lifestyle efforts. The National Sleep Foundation suggests adults over 18 years old get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. If you can’t remember the last time you were in dreamland that long, this blog is for you.